Pumping apparatus.



P. A. LITTLE. PUMPING APPARATUS. APPLICATION II LED JAN. 23, 1913 Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

v or other liquid is elevated and 5 the branch pipes agency of inlet openings associated therewith. At their tops, chambers, which PEARL A. LITTLE, or FREDERICK, OKLAHOMA,

RUMFING APPARATUS.

Speeincation of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1913.

Application filed January 23, 1913. Serial No. 743,795.

To all whom it may concern .Be 1t known that I, PEARL A. LITTLE, a

,citizen of the United States, residing at Frederick, in the county of Tillman and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Pumping Appara tus, ofv which the following is a specification. The present inve tion has reference to pumping apparatus, and more particularly to that type of apparatus in which the Water into a pair of compartments by compressed air or "similar motive fluid, such fluid also actuating a controlling mechanism that serves to regulate its supply and exhaust to and from the aforesaid chambers.

The invention resides primarily in certain improvements, hereinafter described at length, in or relating to the above-mentioned controlling mechanism.

I An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, of which:

' Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the improved apparatus; Figs. '2, 3 and i are horizontal sections taken, respectively, on

the lines 2*2, 3-3, and of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 or Fig. 2.; and-Fig. 6 is an enlarged inverted, perspective view of one of the parts included in the controlling mechanism;

In said drawing, 1 and '2 indicate, respectively, the left, andjright-handchambers, which are to be alternately filled and emptied; 3 the inlet or supply pipe for the compressed air or other motive fluid; and 4: through which the liquid is discharged from said chambers, these-pipes opening into the main discharge pipe 6.

The chambers 1 and 2 may be of any desired size, and may have any cross-sectional shape considered expedient, and they may be filled in any suitable manner. from the main sourceof liquid supply, the filling being here shown as eflected through the 7 and 8, having valves 9 and 10 these are depicted as in the form normally-closed one-way of cylindrical metal tanks, are fitted in seats llnand 12 in the box 1? that contains the hereinafter described. controlling mecha; nism. As shown in Fig. '1, this box preferably consists of a pair of superposed plates 14 and 15 which are bolted or otherwise fastened together and are formed with registering openings through which the branch outlet or discharge pipes 4; and 5 project, said 'pipes'extending into the tanks to within a short distance of the bottoms thereof. The upper portions of said pipes are con nected by the union 16 with the main discharge pipe 6 and are provided with interiorly-located check valves 17 and 18, these valves being depicted in the present construction as of the ball type, and as supported in seats 19 and 20 formed in the ipes.

The lower plate 14 of the box 13 has formed in its upper face a longitudinal recess 21 which, as will be understood, is covered by the upper plate 15, said recess overlying the tanks 1 and 2 and extending beyond the same at opposite ends. 'lhe lower end of the motive-fluid supply pipe 3. opens into this recess, and the latter, in turn, has communication with the tanks 1 and 2 through the openings 22 and 23 and, also, through additional openings subsequently identified and referred to. Thus, it will be seen that the recess constitutes a passageway for the motive-fluid to both tanks. To control the passage of the motive fluid to said tanks, there is provided a slidevalve 24, here shown as in the formof a flat block, that is, fitted in recess 21 and is constructed with a longitudinal slot '25 which, during the movements of the valve, is designed to register, alternr'..-ly, with openings 22 and 23 and is of suihcient length to continuously register with the end of pipe 3. As will be understood from Figs. 1 and 3, said valve moves endwise in its recess, its movements in opposite directions being limited by a pair of blocks 26 and 27 fitted int-he ends of said recess. The lower surfaces of these blocks are cut away at their inner ends, as indicated by the numerals 28 and 29, and the said ends themselves are notched as at 30 and 31 and are formed to therear of said notches with openings 3'2-and 33 which register with openings S t and 35 1 formed through the bottom wall of recess 21. The last-mentioned openings are normally closed by spring-pressed valves 36 and 37 whose stems project therethro-u'gh and through the openings and In addition to the various openings already described, there are provided i-nthe plate 14:, apair of open-,

ings 40 and 41, which also open into the passage-way 21, the upper plate 15 being provided with a pair of openings -12 and 43 that are located directly above the open ings 4.0 and 41 and areequipped with normally-closel'. spring-controlled valves l4 and .45. The main valve 24 passes between and thus controls the pairs of openings 4:9 and 49, and i1 and 43. Finally, there is formed through the bottom wall of recess 21 a pair of openings 46 and at, which are located beneath the notches 30 and 31 and have titted in their enlarged lower portions the upper ends of a pair of depending sleeves 4S and 49, said sleeves being provided, in turn with ports and 51. These ports are located in the upper portions of the sleeves and are covered and uncovered by a pair of rgrtical rods 52 and 53 carrying floats and at their lowerends.

Assuming that the partsutre in the positions shown in Fig. l, with the tank 1 filling and the tank 2 emptying, the operation may be briefly described as follows: The motive fluid admitted through pi 3 flows through slot 25 in the slide with 524 and thence through opening 23 into tank 2, where it forces the liquid contained therein to rise through branch pipe 5 into union 16 and finally into and through discharge pipe 6, the liquid raising the check valve 18 from its seat 20 durin its passage through said branch pipe. T roughout this operation, the inlet valve 10 remains closed, but opens when the tank has emptied, at which time, the float drops to such an extent that the end of its rod 53 uncovers port 51.. The motive fluid, which still continues to flow into tank 2, will then enter sleeve 4-9 through said port 51 and will enter the pas sage-Way 21 by way of opening 47, the lat ter leading to the space 29 beneath the inner end of block 27. Opening 47, as above stated, is disposed beneath the notch 31 in said block, and hencethe motive fluid, on entering the passageway, will exert its force against the main slide valve 24 and will shift the latter to the left untilit strihes against block 26. This movement serves to bring the valve slot 25into registration with opening 22, and, at the same time, to uncover opening 4;]. and cover opening 40, thereby causing the motive fluid to enter tank 1 by way of said opening 22, any motive fluid, or liquid, which may be contained in said passage-way in front of said valve, being forced. there-from into tank I through the valvecontrolled opening 34. As the tank 2 em ties, the tank 1 gradually fills, so that when valve 24 is actuated, as above described, the latter tank: is full, the tank 2 being re-filled by the time that tank 1 is again empty. During the filling operation, assuming, for example, that such ru'ioration is taking place in tank 1, the motive fluid contained in said tank ul'mW-X the iii-coming liquid is forced out through the opening 40 into the passage way 21., and escapes from the hitter to the atmosphere through the valve-controllcrl openings 42.

The apparatus, with but little change, may be used with equal facility for pumping water either for ordinary purposes or for firefighting, and for draining and similar operations connected with sewerage.

Vl hat is claimed is:

i. In a pumping apparatus, the combination, with. a pair of chambers having inlet openings for the liquid to be pumped, and a discharge pipe in comn'umiration with both chambers; of a box wherein the upper ends of said. chamber are fitted, having a motive fluid inlet opening in communimtion with each chamber; a motive fluid supply pipe leading into said box; and controlling mechanism arranged in said box for supplying the motive fluid to said chambers alternately, comprising a. recuirocatory slulc valve having a longitudinal slot which is in constant communication with the outlet end of said supply pipe and in alternate communication with said motive lluid inlet openings during its movements, and a pair of float-controlled valves for automatiiuilly delivering the motive fluid from either chamber behind the artiaccnt end of said slide alve to shift the latter toward the other chamber when the Lfl'l'Ill'QTllH of the first'mentioned chamber are exhausted,

2. In a pul'nping apparatus, the combination, .with a pair of chambers having inlet openings for the liquid to be pumped, and a discharge pipe in comi'ruuiication with both chaml'icrs; ot a box wherein the upper ends of said chambers are fitted having a 1notive-fiui l inlet (awning in commonlcatiun with each chamber; a motive fluid supply pipe leading into said box; and controlling mechanism arranged in said box. for supplying the motive fluid to lid chambers -.l ternately, compo ng a rt. :atory valve having a longitudinal sun. which constant communicatirm with the outlet and oi said supply pipe and in alternate auumunication with said. rmitivc fluid in opcuings during its nmvcmcnts, a pair otopcuended sleeves secured to said. box behind the ends of the slide valve and prujtpting into said chambers, each alcove being. pro vided adjacent its upper end with. an inlet port, and. a float ar 'anged in each chamber and having its stem cxtemling upwardly into the corresponding sleeve to normally close the port therein. whereby the fall of either float consequent upon llii. emptying of the corresponding chamber will cause its stem to uncover the port in the correspond ing sleeve, and permit the umtivo lluid in that chamber to pass into mid box behind ti 3 adjacent and iii said slillc valve, to shift the latter toward llNf: other chamber.

i-l. lit a pumping" zu'iparatua, the combiuation; with a pairof chambers having inlet openings for the liquid to be pumped and 'a diseharge pipe in communication with both chambers; or a box wherein the upper ends of said chambers are fitted provided .With a longitudinal passage-way having mot-ive-lluid inlet. openings formed through its bottom wall communicating with said chamhers; a motive fluid supply pipe opening through the top wall of said passage-way; a shde valve sh'dable in opposite directions in said passageway and provided with a longitudinal slot which. is in continuous cou'ununieation with the outlet end of said supply pipe during the movements of the valve and which communicates alternately with said motive-fluid inlet openings; a stop l.)l(l(.'l( lllitll in each end of said passage-way tor-limiting the movements of said slide val .'e,'eaeh block having); a notched and undercut inner end: and a pair of tloatcontrolled valves for autmnatie'ally delivering the motive fluid contained in either chamber to said passage-way beneath the aforesaid end of the adjacent stop bleak and behind the adjacent end of said slide valve to shift the latter toward the other stop block, when the contents of thefirst-med tioned chamber are exhansted.

, 4. In a pumping apparatus, the combination, with a pair of chambers having inlet openings for the liquid to be pznnped, and

a discharge pipe in commence on with both chambers; of a hex wherein] the upper ends of said ehamhers are fitted provided with a longitudinal passage-way having me- ;tive-flu1d nlet openings termed through .sleeve to normally close the port the whereby the fall of either float conseqa .x

its bottom wall 'eonnnuniealing with said chambers; a motive fluid suppl pipe opening through the top wall of said passageway; a slide valve slidable in opposite direetions in'said passage-way 'and provided with a longitudinal slot which is in continnons eonununieation'with the outlet end of said supply pipe during the movements of the valve and which communicates alterupon the emptying of the corresponding 'ehamher will cause its stem to uncover the port in the corresponding sleeve,' and perrent the motive fillld in that chamber to pass into said" box behind the adjacent end of said slide valve, to shift the latter toward the other stop hiock.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two snhserihingx witnesses.

PEA it; A. Lliil'lllii'l. Witnesses W. ll. CHRIS'IM'AN,

W. Wnrorzrr. 

